After a number of IPOs have been postponed in recent weeks, owing mainly to the severe fall in global stock markets, Jimmy Choo (LSE: CHOO) decided to go ahead and become a PLC this week.
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res in the luxury fashion brand, known for its high-quality high-heeled shoes, moved marginally higher as investors remain wary of global growth prospects. Indeed, Jimmy Choo is heavily reliant on China so, with the world’s second-largest economy experiencing an uncertain period, it’s of little surprise that shares in the company didn’t soar.
However, that’s not to say that they won’t perform well over the medium term. In fact, Jimmy Choo could prove to be a top notch investment. Here’s why.
Lifestyle Brand
Just as sector peer Burberry started off with one item that defined its brand (ie, the trench coat), Jimmy Choo started life as a producer of premium high-heeled shoes. While they remain a key part of its future, the real growth potential in Jimmy Choo is in its becoming a major lifestyle brand. Just as Burberry now sells a range of clothing, fragrances and accessories alongside its coat, Jimmy Choo will look to diversify its product range further in the coming years.
Price Point
As ever, the key to selling consumer goods is pricing. Certainly, Jimmy Choo has built up a loyal customer base and it makes sound business sense to diversify into new, proven product areas and cross-sell to loyal customers. Furthermore, it seems intent on making new products available to existing customers at a similar price-point to its shoes.
In this sense it is not attempting to follow Mulberry and move to a higher price point in order to increase sales and margins — something that has proven to be a failure thus far for Mulberry. As a result, plans to widen the product offering are more likely to be successful, which bodes well for investors in Jimmy Choo over the medium term.
Impressive Results
While the Chinese economy is experiencing a period of uncertainty, Jimmy Choo seems to be making encouraging progress. For example, sales in the first six months of the year increased by 9%, with a store refurbishment programme causing like-for-like sales to be just 2.2%. Furthermore, with China and other emerging markets continuing to have vast growth potential over the long run, it would be of little surprise for Jimmy Choo to continue to grow sales at a brisk pace moving forward.
Looking Ahead
So, while Chinese uncertainty is likely to hold back the share price of Jimmy Choo in the short term, the company seems to be doing the right things when it comes to growing sales over the medium term.
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ross-selling opportunities are significant as the company offers more products and becomes a true lifestyle brand, just as Burberry has done before it.
Although the short term may prove challenging — especially if demand from China continues to disappoint — the longer term appears to be bright for Jimmy Choo and it could turn out to be a sound investment.
